Eleuthera is 110 miles of settlements, pineapple fields and beaches on two very different coasts. These are the ten stops that justify the long drive, in order, with the access detail each one needs.
Updated 22 October 2026 · By the BahamasBooking editorial team
Eleuthera is an island you drive. One road runs its length, with the Atlantic on one side and the calm Bight on the other, and most of the places below are turnings off it. Harbour Island and Spanish Wells sit off the north end and need a water taxi or ferry, so they are separate half days rather than stops on the way.
The order below favours places that are reliably open to visitors and distinctive to Eleuthera. Sea conditions matter for the rock pools and the Atlantic beaches, and the southern headland's access has changed, so each item says what to check before you commit to the drive.
Number 1. Scenery
At the Glass Window Bridge the dark Atlantic and the pale water of the Bight sit on opposite sides of a strip of rock only a few metres wide. It takes half an hour and no planning, and it is the image of Eleuthera.
Confirm access locally. Observe from a safe viewpoint in calm conditions.
Number 2. Nature
The Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve on Banks Road is the island's botanical garden, with trails through native habitat and interpretation of how Bahamians have used these plants. Allow a couple of hours.
Confirm access locally. Follow the preserve's current visitor information.
Number 3. Beach
French Leave Beach at Governor's Harbour is the Atlantic-facing pink-sand beach that is easiest to reach from the central settlements. Check the surf before swimming and use the public access.
Confirm access locally. Use public access and check surf conditions.
Number 4. Nature
The Queen's Baths are tidal rock pools carved into the Atlantic shore below the highway near the Glass Window. They are only for calm seas, and then they are a highlight.
Confirm access locally. Only enter when the sea is calm and local conditions allow.
Number 5. History and nature
Preacher's Cave at the northern tip is where Eleuthera's first European settlers sheltered in the 1600s. The Sapphire Blue Hole is nearby, so the two make one short stop.
Confirm access locally. Combine with Sapphire Blue Hole.
Number 6. Nature
Ocean Hole at Rock Sound is an inland saltwater lake in a small park, connected underground to the sea. It is a short, easy visit and the kind of thing only this island has.
Confirm access locally. Ask locally about current swimming access.
Number 7. Food and culture
The Governor's Harbour fish fry is the community's evening gathering, with local dishes cooked on the spot. The schedule changes, so ask locally which night it is on.
Confirm access locally. Confirm the current evening schedule locally.
Number 8. Surfing
Surfer's Beach south of Gregory Town is Eleuthera's best-known surfing shoreline. The approach is rough and boards and lessons need arranging in advance, but it is unlike any other beach here.
Confirm access locally. Surf instruction and equipment need advance arrangement.
Number 9. Beach
Ten Bay Beach near Savannah Sound is a broad, shallow bay on the sheltered western side, good for an easy swim when the Atlantic beaches are rough. Low tide changes the depth a great deal.
Confirm access locally. Low tide changes the swimming depth considerably.
Number 10. Culture
Spanish Wells is a working fishing community on its own island off the north end, with colourful streets and a busy harbour. It is a ferry ride and a couple of hours on foot or by golf cart.
Confirm access locally. Keep clear of working docks.
A base in Governor's Harbour puts French Leave Beach, the preserve, Ten Bay and the fish fry within a few minutes, with the Glass Window, Queen's Baths and Surfer's Beach on a northern driving day and Preacher's Cave and Spanish Wells on another. Ocean Hole anchors a southern day with Rock Sound and Tarpum Bay.
Tell us where you are staying and how many days you have and we will put the drives in a sensible order. The full list covers every district, including Harbour Island, which has its own page.
Tell us when you are travelling, where you are staying and which of these matter most. We will suggest the order, the boats or drivers you need and what to confirm first.
See all 40 things to do in Eleuthera, the Eleuthera travel guide, or every island in the islands overview.
